June 6, 2008
(release courtesy of Paul Misner, University of Dubuque sports information director)

DUBUQUE, IOWA . . . The University of Dubuque announces the appointment of Matthew Hayes as head cross country coach and David Thompson as head track and field coach. Hayes takes over for Katie Meyer, who resigned to pursue other interests, while Thompson assumes leadership of a combined program from Meyer and Jeremy Fellows, who was appointed as offensive coordinator for the Spartans football team.

Hayes Named Cross Country Coach
The University of Dubuque announces the appointment of Matthew Hayes as head cross country coach. Hayes most recently served as Millikin's first full-time cross country coach, joining them in August 2006. He will also serve as the distance coach for the Spartans indoor and outdoor track and field teams.

A native of Milwaukee, Wis., Hayes has nine years of NCAA Division III coaching experience in cross country and track and field. He was previously the head men’s and women’s cross country/track and field coach at Methodist College (Fayetteville, N.C.). Hayes served as a head and assistant cross country coach at Lynchburg College (Lynchburg, Va.) and was an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

At Lynchburg College, Hayes led the women’s cross country team to the 2003 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship and was named the ODAC Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. His athletes at Lynchburg set six school records under his leadership. He also coached four NCAA Division III All-Americans at Lynchburg. At Wisconsin-Stevens Point, he coached four NCAA Division III National Champions and seven All-Americans.

As a college student-athlete at Stevens Point, Hayes participated in three NCAA Division III National Cross County Meets and six national track meets. He earned All-American Honors in the 4x400 meter relay, 800 meter and 1,500-meter events. He was a eight-time letterwinner at UW-Stevens Point. Still an avid runner, Hayes competes in triathlons and helped organize the first Rodney T. Miller Lakeside Triathlon in July 2007.

"I'm very honored to join the Spartan Tradition and look forward to all the new opportunities and building a solid cross country team," commented Hayes. "Partnering with new track and field coach David Thompson is a positive step, we mesh well together and we are looking toward to coaching in the strong Iowa Conference."

The University of Dubuque believes we have hired someone with total dedication, love of the sport of cross country, and has a great enthusiasm for recruiting," added Dan Runkle. “The addition of both he and David Thompson to our staff, and the Chlalpaty Recreation and Fitness Center currently under construction, we have taken steps to be a contender and a national power in both cross country and track and field.”

Thompson Announced as Spartans Head Track & Field Coach
A native of Chicago, Ill., Thompson joins the Spartans program with extensive track and field experience, including success as a student-athlete at North Central College, a NCAA Division III powerhouse in the sport. Thompson's most recent coaching experience was as head coach at Ashford University and prior to Ashford, as an assistant coach at Augustana College in Rock Island, Ill.

He began developing his track and field resume as a student-athlete at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. He was named an NCAA Division III All-American 11 times and was a three-time National Champion (long jump, a member of a 4x100 meter relay, and 200 meter dash). He served as the captain of the track and field team from 1994-1998.

Upon graduation, Thompson pursued a dream of qualifying for the Olympics by training in Indianapolis, Ind., with the Indiana Invaders, a Nike sponsored professional track and field club. While training full time, Thompson participated in instructional clinics for coaches and pursued his USATF Level 1 Coaching certification. He also organized youth summer programs promoting track and field to local area student-athletes.

Thompson joined the staff at Ashford in 2006 and helped the program set over 20+ school records in his tenure. He coached three national qualifiers and helped the Saints claim seven indoor and four outdoor Conference Champions in 2008.

Prior to Ashford, he was an assistant coach at Augustana College (Rock Island, Ill.) where he concentrated his coaching to primarily sprints, jumps, and multi-events. While there, he helped develop 16 All-Conference performers as well as three NCAA Division III national qualifiers.

"Dave Thompson is a great addition to our university,” stated athletic director Dan Runkle. He brings with him an excellent background in the sport and is a person of exceptional character and integrity. He is knowledgeable of the role recruiting and retention plays in athletics. Coach Thompson is committed to developing and operating an outstanding program, and we are excited for the future."

The Spartans track and field programs have been one of the most successful programs in the school’s history with 11 Iowa Conference titles to their credit.

“I’m excited about the opportunities at the University of Dubuque with all the new facilities and working closely with newly named cross country coach Matt Hayes,” commented Thompson. “The Spartans are going in the right direction and I look forward to taking the program into a new era in track and field.”

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